LAS VEGAS --Two new fire stations will be constructed at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) as part of a subcontract awarded by the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) and National Security Technologies LLC (NSTec), the management and operations contractor for the site.

Martin-Harris Construction, of Las Vegas, has been awarded a subcontract to build the new stations at the remote facility.

The first will be built at the Mercury compound, or in Area 23. The second will be located in Area 6, about 22 miles north of Station No. 1. The total cost of the two stations, including project team and administrative support, is approximately $42 million.

The new stations will replace existing stations, which have been in use for more than 40 years, said NTS Fire Chief Chuck Fauerbach.

"The station designs are a significant improvement over the existing stations, which were built in 1967," Fauerbach said. "We simply have outgrown these stations."

Originally built to house only firefighters, the current stations support missions that were consolidated in 1996 to include structural and wildland firefighting operations, hazardous materials operations, emergency medical services, and technical rescue operations, among others.

In addition to supporting test site facilities and workers, Nevada Test Site Fire and Rescue personnel also provide mutual aid to Nye County communities such as Crystal, Armagosa Valley and Pahrump, and frequently respond to vehicle accidents on Highway 95.

Combined, the stations encompass more than 40,000 square feet. Work is expected to begin in late April, with completion likely in September 2010.